Beware of what you're signing up for... - Analyst KeyBank Employee Review

1.0
Mar 4, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I can only speak for the department I'm currently working in (and about to leave), but Key as a whole is an up and coming bank. They will likely achieve their goal and become the largest regional bank in the U.S...maybe. If you're looking for an opportunity and you want to grow your financial service career, Key is not a bad place. However, there are a lot of issues with the department I was brought into, and I'll summarize below.

Cons

-Possibly the most toxic work environment I've ever been a part of -Work/life balance is not a concept Key is familiar with, nor do they really care if it's something you're trying to achieve -If you're a salaried employee, they will work you to the bone and will not care if you're burning out. They just don't. I would NOT take a salaried position with this bank unless they're paying you six figures up front. -HR misled me on my bonus eligibility -The Key culture is very difficult to navigate. The individuals at the Cleveland HQ make no qualms about the fact that they look down on their Buffalo counterparts. It's ridiculous, especially when you consider that - based on my experience - those in Buffalo I worked with were miles ahead of my Cleveland counterparts in terms of performance and productivity. -The training for my position was non-existent and I was "thrown to the wolves" very early on -If you have questions, no one will answer them. Finding help/procedures/ANY kind of information from your department ABOUT your department is almost impossible -Key's systems are from the stone age, and if they don't get up to speed on technology they will never be the biggest U.S. regional bank. There's so much manual processes that it's enough to make you go crazy -Very, very stressful atmosphere -My manager did not provide me any feedback, and actually got defensive when I asked for what his expectations were of me in my role (but he very early on talked about possible "disciplinary action") - very confusing -You will probably never know how you're performing, and that's a feature of the bank's management, not a bug -Medical is a joke -401k vesting only takes place after 4 years. If you're at this bank for 4 years you deserve stock options, not just 401k vesting. -Favoritism. Favoritism everywhere. -Just not a fit for me culturally. Like I said - I believe that other departments at Key are probably great, and I wish I could have stayed on longer to build my career there, but when it all added up the situation became untenable for me. Be very, very careful before you accept an offer there. Ask as many questions as possible during your interviews.

Explore other reviews about KeyBank

5.0
Jun 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Culture, opportunities, industry leading products and benefits

Cons

Internal politics and favoritism blocks talent

3.0
Jul 20, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Generous PTO allowance; Get to build relationships with local customers. Can be a great company to work for so long as you are not in the Eastern PA region. Key Bank's acquisition of First Niagara Bank (FNB) in Eastern PA left a void in regards to lack of consistency in executing Key Bank company culture and leadership in the acquired Eastern PA region, which functioned as a hybrid of Key Bank's culture & processes, as well as old FNB culture & processes.

Cons

Forced to spend too much time focusing on checking account openings, credit card applications, and work on the teller line. Management expects you to focus more on getting a client to a certain wellness score as a metric versus being given the time to perform an in-depth financial planing analysis for each client. Getting clients to discuss their investment portfolio outside the bank takes time and relationship building. Management expects you to push products and advice in such a way that you are performing immediately to the role's metrics versus being given the time to build relationships, which not only takes time, but typically has very large rewards by way of significant investment & insurance business. Management exprects an SLRM to put way more focus on the branch's banking needs and doesn't probvide the time and proper resources needed to acquire & properly service investment clients. Branch management encourages predatory behavior among the floor sales team instead of working with a team approach. Referrals from tellers and Personal Bankers are highly depended on how competitive the branch environment is versus a "There's no 'I' in team" approach.

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